The Pace

[gggGary]

Kinda like the way this guy thinks.
http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/pace

Got suckered in to riding too fast for the street this spring, showing some young wippersnappers that an XS650 can go pretty good, but an hour or two in I realized I and the group I was with, were plain overriding on public roads. I dropped back at a break and was glad I did. No one got hurt that day but if they keep riding like that it's only a matter of time. Yeah maybe I'm turning into that "old putzer". But I still like a brisk pace now and then, within the limits of the street.............

 

[retiredgentleman]

You have the right slant on things Gary! I avoid riding in groups of riders, as I feel it's not a safe thing to do. There will be riders of different abilities and experience. There will always be one rider that wants to go really fast, which leads to the less experienced riders being drawn into riding much faster than their ability dictates.

 

[Dragbikedemon]

Kinda like the way this guy thinks.
http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/pace

Got suckered in to riding too fast for the street this spring, showing some young wippersnappers that an XS650 can go pretty good, but an hour or two in I realized I and the group I was with, were plain overriding on public roads. I dropped back at a break and was glad I did. No one got hurt that day but if they keep riding like that it's only a matter of time. Yeah maybe I'm turning into the that old putzer. But I still like a brisk pace now and then, within the limits of the street.............

Excellent read!

 

[littlebill31]

I can't ride in groups. I have one friend I ride with because we can just enjoy the scenery and ride. If I want a thrill, I'll hit the winding roads of WV. 35mph is about it, lol. Some of those roads will scare you.

 

[weekendrider]

Quote from the article
"The leader sets the pace and monitors his mirrors for signs of raggedness in the ranks that follow."
Ah yup. He should never ride faster than the slowest member of the group.

 

[gggGary]

The Pace 2.0
http://www.cycleworld.com/2013/09/1...-the-pace-motorcycle-safety-and-riding-skills
After a few years thinking about it he makes a few changes, and details some fine points.
I will toss in that even in a "quick group" speed limits in; school zones, congested and high cross traffic areas aren't just "suggestions".

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

..."The leader sets the pace and monitors his mirrors for signs of raggedness in the ranks that follow."
Ah yup. He should never ride faster than the slowest member of the group.

Last weekend, after the 'Harvest Classic', we had a group ride. Haven't done that in over 40 years. DogBunny was lead on his Suzuki 185 'suitcase' bike. Struggling, I managed to keep up to his brisk 40-45 mph pace...

 

[retiredgentleman]

The Pace 2.0....................lots of more good ideas in there! They say "Add rear-brake finesse to your riding portfolio." I agree, everyone needs to know how to use the rear brake, as it can be quite useful in certain conditions.

 

[littlebill31]

I agree, everyone needs to know how to use the rear brake, as it can be quite useful in certain conditions.

I was taught how to make tight u-turns at very slow speed by riding the rear brake lightly. It is the same method motocycle police use.

 

[Michaelo]

The Pace 2.0....................lots of more good ideas in there! They say "Add rear-brake finesse to your riding portfolio." I agree, everyone needs to know how to use the rear brake, as it can be quite useful in certain conditions.

To get your license in Queensland AU, you have to be able to master the rear brake/ slow ride in a tight figure of 8...or you fail. The laws here have just changed reflecting to the amount of bike riders killed in their first three years if owning a bike.
Personally, I like to ride alone, or with another I can trust....good read Gaz

 

[littlebill31]

On Saturday my friends stopped by and we decided to take a quick spin. Still shaking down my new XS. So we did a leisurely ride on some backroads and then they went home. I decided to ride a little more.
As I was coming down a hill I saw a couple on the roadside pushing a big Harley. I pulled over to help. They were actually picking up the bike. As they were riding down an unfamiliar road they went to turn around on an intersecting dirt road and dropped the bike. They were ok, but the guy was visibly shaken. I mean hands shaking, couldn't figure out how to start the bike, ect. The woman seemed fine, but she was thrown. Neither of them knew what had happened, only that they went into the ditch. The women told me she didn't even know he was turning until the bike dumped.
I'm thinking it was operator error and not letting your rider know your intentions. Crazy.

 

[ThatXS650Guy]

Helps to split people into two groups; slow and fast. Did a ride with a guy on a supermoto and there was no way I was keeping up with him, especially since he was exceeding the speed limit by 30 MPH!
Doesn't bother me being the chase rider at the back of the pack. I have nothing to prove...

 

[gggGary]

IMHO wildly exceeding speed limits on straight roads reveals a lot about the guy "leading the pack".

 

[gggGary]

Another thoughtful article, are you the best street rider you can be?
http://www.cycleworld.com/2015/03/1...afer-street-riding-ride-craft-motorcycle-tips

 

[angus67]

The guy I regularly ride with wont keep me in his mirros. I chose to be behind because he rides too close. How do i tell him to back off? Or if im behind him, how do i stay in his mirrors?

 

[MaxPete]

My other bike is a big fast and heavy Honda ST1300 and that forum (ST Owners.com) just had a lengthy thread about just this issue: riding too fast in groups. People do it all the time - and it's a bad idea - and that's why I seldom ride in groups.

Be safe and live to ride another day.

Pete

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Good article.
Any on what-to-do when impact is imminent and unavoidable?

 

[gggGary]

what-to-do when impact is imminent and unavoidable?

My and recollection of some articles on this. Do everything to brake and avoid but when it's inevitable, get straight and release the brakes before you hit. Just from me but get low on the bike. If the bike might go over the obstacle, keep the front end light, weight back. Brace arms but DO NOT lock elbows, keep em bent. As always avoid target fixation, if you can see over what you are going to hit; start looking at your exit path/trajectory. This is a big deal, IMHO getting you eyes, head up may save your life.
A long time ago I got caught, when a tanker truck we were passing turned left from the far right lane with no signals. (He had missed a road sign, 30 MPH 2 lane boulevard.) A friend was to MY left on another motorcycle, I was out of options. If I stopped the rear trailer wheels would have crushed me. I chose to hit the drive tires on the tractor, the speed difference was enough that I flew out in front of the truck, I can still see that Norton going down behind me, sun glinting off the chrome. I was planning my landing to attempt a run so I didn't get run over but saw the truck driver had seen me and was stopping. I think I kind of tucked and rolled head and left shoulder hitting first. Next time I was conscious was in the hospital. Had a trick wrist for a few years after that but no other serious injuries. Open face helmet, leather jacket, jeans, gloves. I fixed and kept riding the Norton, it also escaped with remarkably small damage, it's still owned by JP, the other rider. My room to maneuver was so tight that my bike dented a shock on his bike on the way down.
Over the years; I have hit a dog, a curb at night in an unfamiliar city when a lane ended, a 4x4 that fell off a truck and been REALLY close to a deer or three. Only the dog was a crash. Went off a banked corner before I figured out counter steering, gone down on gravel. Crashed several times at speed on race courses.
Never give up on a "good" outcome!

 

[retiredgentleman]

The guy I regularly ride with wont keep me in his mirros. I chose to be behind because he rides too close. How do i tell him to back off? Or if im behind him, how do i stay in his mirrors?

Just don't ride with that guy.........................he's a bad, unsafe rider.

 

[gggGary]

Print the articles or at least write down some bullet points, discuss them at a break in the ride. Then what RG says; if he won't ride with you, ride without him. Kinda speaks to my point about speed limits, if he wants to bomb the corners that's fine, but going "too fast to catch up with" on straights is pointless and is pointing at his feeling inadequate/poor manners. It can be tough to ride bikes of greatly differing capabilities together. What's fun on an XS will may bore a liter sport bike rider to tears.